1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fluid flow control devices in general, and in particular, to an easily controlled, water-saving, flow-control valve for standard water faucets.
2. Related Art
Washing one's hands at a faucet typically involves wetting the hands with water from the faucet, soaping the hands, mechanically massaging or scrubbing the soapy hands to loosen dirt and other contaminants thereon, and then rinsing the dirt- and contaminant-laden soap from the hands with clean water from the faucet. It will be seen that, for other than faucets left continuously running, this procedure necessarily entails two additional steps, viz., initiating flow of water from the faucet before washing, and terminating the flow afterwards, and further, that many other daily acts of personal hygiene, e.g., teeth brushing, hair combing, and drawing a cup of drinking water can also involve these same two steps.
The on-off flow control steps typically involve the simultaneous, manual actuation of at least one, and typically, two valves supplying water to the faucet, viz., the hot- and cold-water supply valves, although single-handle hot-and-cold faucet flow control valves are known. In any case, the foregoing arrangement can lead to certain problems and inefficiencies.
One of these relates to a waste of water. Thus, although it is unnecessary to have a continuous flow of water during the intermediate steps of, e.g., hand washing, or teeth brushing, many leave the water running throughout the entire activity, and sometimes, even afterwards, either through carelessness or a reluctance to touch the control valves with wet, soapy or just-washed hands. This can result in a substantial waste of expensive, treated water, and has led some institutions to incorporate devices, such as water-flow timing mechanisms, or complex, infrared user-presence-detection devices, to automatically terminate the water flow from the faucet after a predetermined amount of time has elapsed or the user has departed the faucet location, in an effort to reduce the amount of water wasted.
Another problem relates to “cross-contamination,” or “re-contamination,” that can result when the control valve handles of a faucet are touched, and thereby contaminated, with dirty hands, or alternatively, when washed hands contact previously contaminated faucet handles and are thereby re-contaminated. In some strict-antiseptic standard environments, e.g., surgical scrub rooms, this problem has lead to the implementation of foot- or knee-actuated faucet control valves, so that the user's hands never come into contact with the control valves of the faucet.
Yet another problem relates to the inability of small children or persons with certain physical disabilities to manipulate faucet valves with adequate facility. Thus, small children may be able to reach the outlet of a faucet without a height “booster,” but still require adult assistance to reach and/or manipulate the handles of the control valves to achieve an appropriate water flow rate and/or safe temperature. Adults with, e.g., severe arthritis, may be able to reach the valve handles easily, but may be unable to manipulate them without experiencing severe pain.
A long-felt but as yet unsatisfied need therefore exists for an inexpensive, yet reliable faucet control valve that avoids wasting water, is more sanitary, and is easier both to install and use, than conventional faucet valves.